Litenčice Castle

Litenčice Castle stands in the southwestern part of the small town of Litenčice in Moravia, in the Kroměříž district, roughly 17 km from Kroměříž itself. The four-wing, two-story building grew out of a Gothic fortified manor and went through Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical rebuilding over the centuries before reaching its present form. Today it belongs to descendants of its former owners, who are gradually restoring it.

When was the castle built and by whom?

The first written mention of the village of Litenčice dates to 1141. A Gothic fortified manor likely already stood on the site of today's castle in the second half of the 14th century, though it is first documented only in 1437, when Pavlík of Pržno ceded it, along with part of the village and other property, to Arkleb of Kunkovice and Zástřizly. Over the following decades the estate changed hands repeatedly.

How did the manor become a Baroque chateau?

The decisive rebuilding took place under Péter Pázmány, Archbishop of Esztergom, when the late-medieval manor was transformed into a Baroque chateau; construction was completed in 1667. In the 18th century the estate passed to the Thonsern family, who carried out further Baroque alterations between 1712 and 1718. The castle reached its current, final shape between 1808 and 1817, when circular corridors connecting the individual wings were added.

Who held the castle the longest?

The Podstatský family of Prusinovice, later known as the Podstatský-Thonsern, held Litenčice continuously from the late 18th century until 1948 — the longest unbroken period the estate spent in a single family's hands. In 1948 the property was nationalized by Czechoslovakia's communist authorities.

What happened to the castle after 1948?

After nationalization the building housed a vocational agricultural school, and from the 1960s part of it served as a storage depository for the Technical Museum in Brno. Forty years of this use left the castle significantly deteriorated. Only after the post-1989 restitutions was the property returned to the descendants of its pre-war owners.

What does the castle look like today?

The Podstatský-Thonsern family is carrying out a gradual reconstruction of the castle. One wing now houses the family's agriculture and forestry business, another serves as living quarters, and the last is still awaiting renovation. On one of the sun-exposed slopes near the castle, the owners have planted a vineyard with several grape varieties, and they also produce dry apple ciders under the Apple Deer brand. The castle is listed as a protected cultural monument.

Can Litenčice Castle be visited?

The building remains a private family residence and is not permanently open to visitors — tours take place only occasionally, typically tied to events connected with the local wine production. It is worth checking announcements from regional tourism organizations in the Kroměříž area before planning a visit.

Frequently asked questions

When was Litenčice Castle built? A Gothic fortified manor stood on the site already in the second half of the 14th century, first documented in 1437. Its conversion into a Baroque chateau was completed in 1667, and the building reached its final shape between 1808 and 1817.

Who owned the castle the longest? The Podstatský family of Prusinovice (Podstatský-Thonsern) held Litenčice from the late 18th century until 1948, when the estate was nationalized.

What was inside the castle after 1948? It housed a vocational agricultural school and later a storage depository for the Technical Museum in Brno, a period during which the building suffered significant deterioration.

Is there a vineyard at the castle? Yes, the current owners have planted a vineyard on a nearby slope and also produce apple ciders under the Apple Deer brand.

Is the castle open to tourists? Not permanently — tours are held only occasionally, mostly around events related to the local wine-making.